Entocort

[addyp]

Hi
My hubby is newly diagnosed with crohns. He's in a lot of pain but we're scared to try meds because of side effects. He was prescribed entocort has anyone had good results with this? Thx

 

[nogutsnoglory]

Entocort is fairly fast acting with much fewer side effects than the other steroid prednisone. It's only for a few weeks or months to calm the illness and then he'll need to transition to a maintenance drug.

 

[addyp]

What kind of maintenance drug? I'm so scared for him to try the immune drugs. Could he take prednisone after? His doctor said he could take this for three months. Does the symptoms come back right away after you stop? Thx for replying. This has been a scary time for us. He's in so much pain

 

[addyp]

He's on his way to get entocort. I pray it gives him relief

 

[mik118811]

Immune suppressant drugs are maintenance drugs and everyone takes them differently, I noticed more colds that lasted for weeks but nothing worse than that, wish I hadn't tried to go without them now as I am back on them. also I had budesonide a few years ago and had no issues with it I think prednisolone has more adverse effects like mood swings which I suffer from on prednisolone

 

[mik118811]

Sorry I'm in UK so the drug names are slightly different, over here we just have budesonide not the brand of entocort, and I think we use prednisolone instead of prednisone over here too even though they are almost identical

 

[nogutsnoglory]

What kind of maintenance drug? I'm so scared for him to try the immune drugs. Could he take prednisone after? His doctor said he could take this for three months. Does the symptoms come back right away after you stop? Thx for replying. This has been a scary time for us. He's in so much pain

Unfortunately while these drugs are very effective they can only be used for short periods. Most people will relapse if they don't go on a maintenance drug after because this is a chronic disease. Usually both are started around the same time so the steroid halts disease progression quickly while the maintenance drug builds in the system. Most of the maintenance drugs take around 3 months to become fully effective.

The drugs fall into different categories for IBD, mesalamine which is the safest but the also the weakest, immunomodulators and biologics. The latter two are the ones likely to make a profound difference. There are some other modalities like antibiotics but generally immunosuppressive and biologic meds are the way to go.

I know it's scary but the side effects are rare and the disease left unchecked is very scary too. Blessings.

 

[clearlife]

I remember reading entocort only works for the first 2-3 months. So it is not a permanent therapy drug.
In the end, prednisone is the old drug that mostly works for everyone. However this one is a killer, stay away if you can, use as little as you can if you have to. Over the years the immune system will be compromised, osteoporosis, serious infections that are waiting out there, your veins become brittle and blood work is much harder, mood swings, etc. It has many problems.
Infections are such an underestimated threat. You may have on you already a MRSA (drug resistant staph), but it is on check by your slick immune system. As soon as it is compromised, these bacteria or any others, pseudomonas, C difficle, can gain ground, and create an incurable infection, since they are antibiotic resistant.
Use prednisone with a lot of caution and find an alternative as soon as it is available.